


castle in the sky

by mm_nani



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M, Surreal Backdrop, doesn't really make sense, inaccurate geographical descriptions, lmao sorry my fantasy universe is just a stupid conspiracy theory, the earth might be flat in this fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 11:35:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13386963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mm_nani/pseuds/mm_nani
Summary: Eric is going to a castle. Dele is going home. They meet on the way.





	castle in the sky

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to Eric Dier!!!!!  
> Thinking too deeply about this piece will give you a headache.  
> It's an experimental style of writing I tried out.

Eric is walking towards the castle in the distance.

 

It’s a speck in the horizon and the distortions in the heated air almost makes it look like a mirage.

 

But Eric knows it’s there, that it’s real.

 

So he keeps walking.

 

He can feel the gravel through his soles.

 

*

 

He passes by a boy sitting in the shade of a tree. He’s wearing what appears to be a football kit, full sleeve white shirt speckled with dirt and blue shorts.

 

It’s the black flip flops that throws him off.

 

*

 

The scene changes quite suddenly from barren desert sand to squirrels running around foliage. The trees get taller until he can’t see the castle anymore and Eric imagines he’s in some sort of woods.

 

There’s not a map, not exactly.

 

But Eric knows he’s on the right path, knows that if he did have a map it would show a forest at the border of a desert that will eventually lead to more desert and a castle. It’s unclear how he knows this.

 

He’s conscious of the sun rising and setting, of pangs of hunger and thirst, he even remembers eating at times.

 

But mostly, he remembers how much nicer the moss-covered earth feels than the grains of sand persistently sneaking into his shoes.

 

*

 

He’s leaning against a tree, taking a rest before he starts walking again, when he hears the rustling. Eric reaches for his knife and remembers that he traded it for a blanket already.

 

It’s the boy from earlier, there’s a smidge of dirt on his cheek now that matches the sorry state of his clothes.

 

 _‘Oh’_ The boy says softly.

 

Eric wished he had made some sort of noise too, but he only gapes silently at the boy peeking out from the bush. Tentatively, the boy climbs out of the bushes, closer and closer still until he’s settling across from Eric against another tree bare feet, flip flops clutched in his hands.

 

Eric doesn’t sleep, watches the boy doze against the tree instead. There’s a leaf stuck in his hair that Eric has wanted to pull out for the last hour.

 

The breeze is cool but at least it’s not the cold of the desert at night. He pushes his blanket down until it’s only covering him up to the knees.

 

The boy doesn’t stir.

 

*

 

When Eric walks, the boy walks behind him.

 

*

 

Two days pass.

 

He finally looks back and speaks, ‘are you following me?’

 

The boy looks startled, his heels stick out from the flip flop and there’s a little rip along the collar of his jersey.

 

‘No,’ he responds, ‘but it appears we’re going the same way.’

 

Eric shrugs and turns back around, the boy smiles and runs to catch up to Eric.

 

*

 

Dele has salted dried fish and Eric has stale bread.

 

That night they feast.

 

*

 

He hears the water before he sees the creek. Dele stops short, nose in the air like he can sniff out the wet earth like that. They head off course to find it and as soon as his eyes fall on it, Eric’s throat constricts, realizing all at once how much he’d denied himself the feeling of thirst.

 

Dele beats Eric to the creek, jumps in with all his clothes still on. He stays underwater for a few long second and then emerges suddenly into the sparkling sunlight. His hair falls flat on his head and he spits out a long stream of water from his mouth, wades back a little, invites Eric in.

 

Eric follows suit stripping off his clothes before he does, dunks his head and takes a long drink. The water is sweet if earthy and he imagines the bits of Dele in it, the sweat, dirt and dead skin.

 

Dele eventually strips too, clambers out for one moment to dry his clothes on the rocks, his skin glistening. It reminds Eric of sweetness and the earth, a sturdy solid color, now that it stands proud and clean and uncovered.

 

Dele’s cock is like the rest of him; an unabashed beauty in the way it stands proud amidst a bush of pitch black hair. It makes Eric’s stomach squirm but then Dele is sliding back into the water, flashing him a brilliant smile.

 

It catches Eric off guard, Dele’s face has at best grimaced at him up to now. Eric thought they were companions of need. Together they have more food, more water, more medicine, a blanket to share and body warmth to heat it up.

 

But Dele looks like he wants to be here.

 

He looks like he wants to be here with Eric.

 

Dele splashes him.

 

*

 

They air dry on the rocks.

 

Tired from playing in the water and exhilarated from the change in their daily drone.

 

Eric turns his head to look at Dele and Dele smiles, crooked.

 

Eric touches that smile, presses his thumb into the peek of teeth behind it.

 

Dele’s eyes don’t wander from his face.

 

*

 

Dele’s body is a study in contrast.

 

Hard muscles and soft skin.

 

Demanding and generous.

 

Vulnerable but strong.

 

*

 

They eventually make it out of the forest.

 

Eric misses pulling ticks off Dele’s body.

 

*

 

This part is more gravel than sand and the tiny bumps digging into his sole, sits awkwardly on his spine.

 

The castle grows bigger.

 

Dele doesn’t stop touching him.

 

So neither does Eric.

 

*

 

‘Where are you going?’

 

Their separation nags in the back of his head.

 

Dele is lying half across him, both of them stuffed into one sleeping bag.

 

‘Home.’ Dele murmurs into his chest.

 

*

 

The castle turns out to not be a castle at all.

 

Eric realizes this long before he’s reached it.

 

But he’s in no hurry, unconcerned that his destination seemed to have changed itself mid journey. He keeps his pace slow, it’ll be there when he gets there.

 

He no longer worries about Dele, knows he’ll still be there too.

 

*

  

It turns out to be a stadium.

 

Dele pushes the gates open before he can.

 

‘Home.’ Dele whispers.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!! feedback appreciated. I know it makes no sense lol


End file.
